Resilient wheel.



P. DECAUVILLE.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

APPLIOATION FILED 1 m1.s,190a` 1,001,51 3. Patented Aug. 22, 1911.

PIERRE DECAUVILLE, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

RESILIENT WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent.

` atented Aug. 22, 19111..

Application filed December' 3, 1998. Serial No. 465,895.

To r/.ZZ whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, Pinnen lizcauvrnmc, a citizen ot the Republic ot France, and residing at Paris, France, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in lcsili ent Wheels, ot' which the 'following is a specification.

The present invention relates to a novel means tor resiliently supporting a wheel upon its axle and is especially adapted For a wheel in which independent wheel parts are operatively connected with lost motion by interposed balls or the like.

In the accompanying drawings Figure l is a vertical section on the line 1---l., ltig. 2, partly broken away showing a wheel to which my novel suspension device is applied in one form; Fig. Q is a section on the line Q-Q, Fig. l; F 3, 4t and 5 are diagrammatic side elevations showing the relative displacement of the engaging plates and balls.

In the form shown, I secure the resilient support of the wheel upon its axle c through a ring g which is solid with the chassis ot the vehicle and which carries diametrically opposite vertical cylinders g1 in which work pistons g2, the rods g3 of which are jointed at their inner ends to the pistons g2 and at their outer ends to a ring 7L on which the hub portion e of the wheel revolves, preferably through intermediate ball bearings o'l common type. Springs z' are secured to the ring g at right angles to the cylinders (/1 and their extremities bear upon arms 71,1 solid with the ring 7i. The pistons g2 may be supported within the cylinders (/1 by any suitable resilient means, for example suitably compressed air. The springs z' serve to return the wheel to position after it has been rendered eccentric to the driving disk t) about to be described.

The axle o or the sleeve c1 surrounding it, which receives the driving ejt't'ect, is solid with a disk t), and rotates the latter. Lying on either side of the disk 7) are arranged two rings (Z solid with the hub e. A. series ot cupped recesses 7; on each t'ace ot the disk and a Corresponding series ot' cupped rccesses Z1 on the juxtaposed faces ot the rings (Z, form pockets to receive a series ot balls jf. the diameter ot' which is such that the rings cl are held out of contact with the disk E.

In the condition ot' repose and when the vehicle is normally loaded the axes of the rings fl and disk coincide and the balls f are at the bottoms ot the cups (Fig. 3). A is soon as the disk t) receives its rotary driving impulse, it is displaced angularly relatively to the ringsI IZ; the cups 7) drive the balls in the direction ol their movement until the balls are gripped bctwccn the sccant edges oli thc cooperating cups I, there by rendering the disk and rings solid with relation to cach other and imparting to the rings (and thus to the wheel as a whole) the impulse ol disk o. lhe balls thus wedged between the cups r'" and di permit thc rings to become eccentric relative to the plate t) without interrupting the driving nmvcment. .lhe maximum eccentricity ol the Arings t is equal to thc diameter ot. the cup less the diameter ot the ball. 'I hcse balls being always wedged betavcen the intersecting edges ot the cup may assume any position betwccn the maximum position represented in Fig. o and the normal position shown in Fig. et. lin this connection it should be noted that 'tor the ellcient operation ot the balls itl is essential that their play shall be entirely tree throughout the surlace oit the cup.

This arrangement ot the driving mechanism together with the resilient support olf the wheel upon the axle above described, afltords an exceedingly easily-running suspension device which permits the axle to assume any degree ot eccentricity with relation to the wheel, (within the limits of the area ot the ball cups) and a` continuous drive ot the wheel whatever the relative positions ol the axes to the wheel and ot the hub may be.

I claim as my invention- 1. A spring whcel comprising a driving and a driven member and means :lor actuating the latter from the former, a wheel spindle by which said driving and driven members are carried, in combination with resilient means lior cushioning said driven mcn'iber with relation to the wheel spindle, said resilient means eon'iprising diametrically opposite cylindersl and a rotary support thereilor constantly coaxial with the driving member ol the wheel, a ring journaled in the driven member ol the wheel and plungers connected thereto working in said cylinders, and means in connection with said cylinders 'tor resiliently supporting said phingers in said cylinders, together with. spring means engaging said ring' and acting upon the same at right angles to the action of the said pistons whereby said driven member is orced back into coaxial relation to the driving member upon being rendered eccentric thereto, substantially as described.

2. A wheel of the character described, comprising, reciprocally cupped members fast with the driving and driven members and balls in said cups forming bearings between said members, said cups being so shaped on their bearing surfaces as to maintain practically a constant space between the same while engaging the said balls between their secant edges to form an actuating connection between said members, in combination with the wheel spindle by which said driving and driven members are carried and resilient means for cushioning the said driven member with relation to said spindle, said resilient means comprising diametrically opposite cylinders and a rotary support therefor constantly coaxial with the driving member of the wheel, a ring ournaled in the driven member of the wheel and plungers connected thereto working in said cylinders, and means in connec tion with said cylinders for resiliently supporting said plungers in said cylinders, together with spring means engaging said ring and acting upon the saine at right angles to the action of the said pistons whereby said. driven member is forced back into coaxial relation to the driving member upon being rendered eccentric thereto, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PIERRE DECAUVILLE.

Titnesses GUs'rAvn DUMONT, CHARLES DoMr.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C. 

